Report reveals 'secret' tiger trade in China

A new report by a conservation group says China allows a legal trade in tiger parts sourced from captive-bred tigers, despite signing up to global initiatives to protect the animals.

China has agreed to the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species which bans international commercial trade in tiger parts and derivatives.

It has also pledged to help double the number of wild tigers by 2022.

The Environmental Investigation Agency says the legal trade in tiger parts is being use as a cover for trading skins and bones of wild animals that have been poached.

The London-based group says the existence of a legal trade for captive tigers stimulates the overall market for tiger products, which threatens Asia's endangered big cats, including leopards and snow leopards.

The head of the EIA's Tiger Campaign, Debbie Banks, says the stark contradiction between China's pledge to help save wild tigers and its domestic policies represents "one of the biggest cons" of tiger conservation.

She told Radio Australia's Connect Asia that China is sending out a very confused message.

"At the international meetings that relates to tigers, they're very clear they are committed to end the illegal trade," she said.

"But when you press them with regards to what they are doing about legal trade, they go silent.

"So the very same (forestry) department that is outwardly and publicly committed to helping double the world's wild tiger population is at the same time issuing permits for the skins of captive-bred tigers.

"And that's stimulating a demand that is leading to the poaching of wild tigers and other Asian big cats."

The EIA says China has about 3,500 wild tigers, yet more than 5,000 captive-bred tigers are held in Chinese farms and zoos.

"The international community should show support for this national movement calling for an end to policies which stimulate demand," it said in a statement.

"China must make good on its pledges to the international community and stop cynically stimulating and aiding a trade it has vowed to end."